The Tab Meets… Great Plain Sundance

Liverpool Uni’s very own folk-rock five piece Great Plain Sundance are undoubtedly one of the city’s most impressive and well-rounded young acts, with a show in support of Dry the River already under their belt.

As current third-years, the group’s story is that of the archetypal student band. According to bassist Sam West “Will [Murray, violin] and I met in halls, then we came across Brendan [Fitzpatrick, vocals]. He had his own stuff to play, and we essentially started off as an acoustic trio, playing a few open mic nights. Things just ran from there and we decided to make it bigger and bigger”.

The band take the stage at Sound City

Other than bringing them together however, the band don’t feel as though the uni itself has had  huge influence in nurturing the band, though their commendations do go out to the Music Department’s Simon Stafford. “We’ve got to give him massive credit, he really encourages all the bands and he’s always at our gigs.”

With the additions of vocalist Susie Merry and drummer Nico Sauvenée, the band now play a lush brand of folk rock, drawing in influences from modern folk-favourites Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes, to The Strokes and Fleetwood Mac .

The depth of the group’s music can also be attributed to the breadth of the individual interests of the band. “Brendan’s from Ireland, so everything he does has that Irish twang to it which is quite nice”, says Sam, and “Susie’s very into her new-age folk.” Nico meanwhile cites Jojo Mayer of Swedish band Nerve (“sort of a jazz fusion style”) and “a lot of Latin players” as drumming influences.

As for the future, it seems as though the follow up to this year’s single Stay Up All Night will see the group refining their sound. Sam promises that “We’re going in a different direction this year, it’s a bit darker” with Nico adding that “It sounds a bit pretentious to say, but the music’s maturing”.

If their relatively sparse current output is anything to go by, and if the sense of infectious creativity that has served them so well so far isn’t stifled by the maturing process, Great Plain Sundance are sure to go on to greater things past university.

Listen to Great Plain Sundance here

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